Outlet-box



w. A. BONNELL.

OUTLET BOX.

APPLICATION FILED. JAN. 30. 19l7. 1,330,620. Patented Feb.10,1920.

. 2 SHEETSSHEET l..

FIG. 1 FIG. 2

WITNSSES. INVENTOR.

w. A. BONNELL.

OUTLET Box.

APPLLCAIIQN FILED JAN. 30, l9l7.

1,330,620. Patented Feb.10,1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WITNESSES. 0f?, #MLV Specification of Letters:Patentn Patented Feb.i 10, 1920.`

Application ledJanuaiy 30, 1917. {Serial No.`.145,408.

To alllwhom `z' may concern 'A Beit known-that I, WIILLiA-M A. BoNNiiLmpla-ce thegcover'plate in `positionfthe box bod-y k"is li'ound to be perpendicularfto -the York andStateof New York, have inventeda new and useful-.Improvementyin "Outletf Boxes.; and I do'herebydeclarethe'follo'w a citizen f of Ithe United States,` and resident of New Yorkcity,.in A`,he"countyof New ing'to be full, clear, Iand exact' description thereof.

My invention relates toelectrical outlet boxes adapted to be embeddedin the floor of a4 building, to receive the 'electricconduits f carrying the lconductor wires to fixtures, and` to a-iford convenient 4voutlet-or placellotata tacliment for tlie'wires leading to such fix-'- tures in room or apartment.-V l

These boxes: f are -usuallyf 'installed A 1 while the buildingis in processof construction and arey generally embeddedfin `cementfor other ;y sub-structure. which ris below the.l surfaceA of y the inishedllfloor. Owingto carelessnessof instalmentwor to frequent passingroverthew unfinished floor, thesel'boxvbodiesare oftenf found to be tiltedat a'n angle lto theloor surface and cannot/be righted-without con siderable :loss of timeffand expense.

It is, `of course,` .necessarythat the `cover plate of the box shall be lflush Witlr'the sur-v face of l the 2,finishedfloorV To* accomplish this in casesivherefthe box bodies do not stand at right Cangles to 'suc-h floor surface,

it is necessary tto provide means betweenthe box body and. coverplat'e thatV shall bring the latter to suchwiush position; It falso? often happens that the box body-is embed# dedtoo` deeply in the iloorbeneaththe level: of theiinished surface and -it is necessary,'nV therefore, to build. uponfthei top :rim of the l. body .to 1bring. the :cover flush `with' thefffin islied surface.

A number of more or Ilesscomplicated expedients4 fliave been 4devised to z meet thesem conditions, butuin practically all the cases, the `structures n employed are 1^ expensive to make ,and difficult `to handle. Moreover, `by

reason. of numerous .joints usuallyffound in these so-called universally adjustableV boxes, it is diiiicult to iniakethe :boxwater-tight, which is a veryaimportant requirement My 'invention aims ato overcome these obthe 4rim of the box body and the `cover -plate vposition ot the box body. Fig.` 3

to bring-theElatter'fiiush-witli theiinished i floorsuri'ace.; If, when the time comes to finished iioo'r surface, it may be necessary only to interposepa thin rubber or rubber composition:gasketbetween thevrim and the cover .to renderthe box wateitight.4 It the box body is perpendicular to the floor sur-V face, but its' top rim .is 'found to be ata -plate, oneor inoreivashers ,or gaskets may be interposed between thelrim andV cover to bring `the"-lat ter tothe properlevel. If

finallyvl thebox body is found to be in a tilted or'non-perpendicular position ,with re- Jspect tothe finished floor surface, I inter-D pose-betweenfthe rim, and cover .a pair of what may-be termedweclgeshaped or taper- -ing thickness'itroinone side tothe other,Y so V`that-by turning one on Vtheother to the relrings or gasketsr of rubber, or other waterf:4 -proot.-"coinpositioii,-swhicli` gasketsy Aare of quired-extent, the cover'i'eceiving seat on theupper;gasket may .be brought," to such cover plate flush with thevfinished floor surgreat that this pairof `wedge-shaped gaskets .will'not bring the` cover to the required height-, one o'rmore-tlat gaskets maybe interposed between -the llower; wedge-shaped gasket-and the-box rim. Y.

In conj uiiction; with these gaskets,l .eniploy' anlarrangernentwof fastening screws which s'erve,iiot Onlyto screw. the 'cover plate fast to the lbox bodygbut also `assist inhold-Y ing the gaskets vor rings in proper position,l

so that they may floe adjusted4 to .raise or lower the'upper surfaceof thelcover to .the required height-with respect to the finished floor-surtacea*by simply loosening the screws which connect the cover plate to the box With :the above objects in view, the invention consists kin constructionand arrangement of parts,I preferred embodiment of whiclrare `illustrated in theaccompanying drawings in `which Figure l is a vertical height as to bring the upper surface of the plate showing the adjusting gaskets applied i thereto. Fig.` 2 is a similar viewy showing gasketsadjusted to compensate for the tilted is a pl an view of the box body with the cover plate and gaskets removed. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one of the adjusting gaskets. Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 1, showing a modification lin the means l'or attaching the cover plate to the box body. Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 2 of the construction shown in Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a fragmentary detail view, partly in section, showing the manner of mounting the cover fastening screws on the box body. Fig. 8 1s a fragmentary sectional view showing the use of additional fiat gaskets for vraising the level of the cover. Fig 9 is a plan view of the box body shown in Fig. 5 and Fig. 10 is a view of one of the adjusting gaskets showing lugs by which it may be manipulated when on the box.

Referring to the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive, 1 indicates the box body provided with the usual screw threaded opening 2 for the reception of the electric conduit which carries the electric conductors to a fixture such as 3, mounted within the box. The fixture here illustrated is an ordinary plug connection carried by stirrup or strap 4 which in the instance here shown is supported by lugs 5 on the cover plate 6. This cover plate is provided with a threaded opening 7 for the reception of an outlet nozzle 8. A gasket 9 is preferably interposed between thenozzle and cover plate to make the joint watertight. The box body has at its upper rim a flange 10 forming a seat for the cover plate and the gaskets interposed between the same and the body. The cover plate is preferably of the same diameter as the outer diameter of the flange 10.

To provide for adjusting the cover plate to bring the upper surface thereof flush with or parallel with the finished fioor surface, in case the box body embedded in the floor stands at an angle to the finished surface thereof, as illustrated, for example, in Fig. 2, I provide a pair of wedge shaped or tapered gaskets, one of which is illustrated at 11 in perspective, Fig. 4.

The one side of this gasket is of con- Sider-able thickness, as shown at 12 and tapers gradually to the thin portion 13 at the diametrically opposite side. In practice, the greatest thickness of the gasket may be as much as a `quarter of an inch, whereas the opposite side may be tapered down to a sixteenth of an inch if desired. As the gaskets of each pair are symmetrical in shape and thickness, it is obvious that when the thin portion of one is superposed upon the thick portion of the other as shown in Fig. 1, the cover plate will stand exactly at right angles with the box body. Should the embedded box body be in tilted position, however, these rings may be relatively adjusted to any extent between the limit illustrated in Fig. 1, and that illustrated in Fig. 2. In the latter position, the thicker portions of the gaskets or rings are shown to coincide and the thinner portions also coincide, so that the cover plate may be thus brought to a horizontal position flush with the finished floor surface, although the box body may not be perpendicular to such surface.

In practice, a limit of adjustment of substantially half an inch, such as here illustrated, is usually found to be ample to compensate for any irregularity found in the ,alinement of the top or rim of thclbox body with the floor surface, although it is obvious that if a greater extent of adjustment is required, gaskets or rings of greater difference in thickness at opposite sides may be employed.

In order to screw the cover plate to the box body and upon the gaskets, I employ screws 14, preferably having elliptic heads 15, which will automatically adjust themselves according to the angle at which the cover stands to the box body. In the form of the invention shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, these screws are secured in threaded lugs 1G extending within the rim of the box body. The adjusting rings or gaskets 11 are made of such width that their outer edges lie flush with the outer edges of-the flange 10 and the cover plate 6 and the inner faces of these ringsv rest against the fastening screws 14. Thus, it will be seen that when the cover plate and screws are in position, these rings are held in proper alinement and against lateral displacement.

In placing the cover plate in position on the box and to bring it fiush with the finished floor surface, adjusting gaskets are placed upon the box rim and may be relatively adjusted approximately to the right position to bring the cover plate into alinement with the finished floor surface. The cover plate lis then placed in position over the gaskets and the screws 14 inserted. By means of lugs 17, projecting inwardly from the gaskets, as shown in Fig. 4, said gaskets may then be adjusted by reaching through the nozzle receiving opening 7 in the cover plate until the cover plate ring is brought to I proper position. It will be noted that the screws 14 will hold these gaskets in perfect alinement and against lateral displacement while said gaskets are being so adjusted, and when the proper adjustment is reached, the

screws 14 may be tightened up.

It will be seen also that the holding in position of the gaskets by the screws, will maintain the perimeters of the 'gaskets in proper alinement with the perimeters of the box flange 10 and cover plate 6 respectively, thus giving a neat finish to the construction.

In the case the box is so deeply embedded in the floor that the thickness of the adjusting gaskets is not sulicient to raise the cover plate up into alinement with the floor, one or more flat gaskets 18 such as illustrated in iFig. 8 may be added. These gaskets also may be provided with adjusting lugs 19.

By my improved construction, there-fore, means are provided for adjusting the box cover axially on the box and at an angle to the box body, thus providing for what is commonly designated universal adjustment of the cover on the box.

Furthermore, since the box body is one solid casting, and both the adjusting gaskets 11 and the building up gaskets 18 are or" waterproof material, the single joint between the cover and the box body is made watertight by the adjusting elements themselves. Great economy is secured by this construction, since the box body and cover plate. of ordinary or standard construction and the adjusting gaskets may be very cheaply produced.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 5 to 9, inclusive, the box 1 and cover plate 6 and adjusting gaskets 11 may be of the same construction as heretofore described, but the flange 20 of this box is made of somewhat greater width and the diameter of the cover 6 may be greater to provide for positioning of the fastening screws 21 outside of the gaskets.

In this embodiment also, I provide a different construction of screw receiving part on the box body to maintain the heads of. the screws flush with the surface of the cover, notwithstanding the tilted or angular position of the box body with respect to said cover. To this end, the flange 20 of.

the box is notched or recessed as at 22, and depending lugs 23 extend down each side of notches 22. These lugs are recessed as at 211 to receive the trunnions 25 of a rocking nut 2G in which the screw is fastened. To retain these rocking nuts in position, I may insert short pins 2? into suitable apertures in the box flange, below the rocking nut trunnions 25. It is obvious that no heavy strain comes upon the pins'27 since the pull upon the rock nut is entirely against the under side of the recess 24.

The manner of yinstallingand the operation of this box is substantially the same as heretofore described for the first embodiment.

While I have herein described particular embodiments of the invention, it is to be understood that the same may be altered in details and relative arrangements of parts within the scope of the appended claims.

That I claim is:

1. An outlet box comprising a box body and a cover therefor, one or more gaskets interposed between said box and cover, said gaskets being capable of relative adjustment to tilt the cover with respect to the box-body, and a plurality of screws for securing the box and cover together, said screws having rocking engagement with the box and cover to accommodate the tilted position of the cover.

2. An outlet box comprisingva box body, a cover therefor, one or more gaskets interposed between said box and cover, said gaskets being capable of relative adjustment to tilt the cover with respect to the box body, a plurality of screws, and nuts mounted for rocking movement and c-operating with said screws to secure the box and cover together.

3. An outlet box comprising a box body having a peripheral ange provided with spaced recesses, nuts supported for rocking movement in the said recesses, a flanged cover for the said box body, and screws ex tending through the said cover and coperating with the said rocking nuts to secure the said box and cover together.

In testimony whereof, I the said WILLIAM A. BONNELL, have hereunto set my hand.

1WILLIAM A. BONNELL.

Witnesses z JOHN F. WILL, J. R. KELLER. 

